Lung Cancer

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer develops when cells in the lung mutate at the genetic level. These cells reproduce rapidly and don’t die off like cells usually do when their lifespan ends. The result is clumps of abnormal cells that grow into tumors.

Lung cancer typically starts in one lung but can easily extend into the other and the lymph nodes nearby. Without the proper treatment, lung cancer spreads (metastasizes), invading other organs and tissues and becoming harder to treat.

What kind of lung cancer might I get?

The most common kind of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC accounts for 90% of lung cancers and has three forms: squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. The primary cause of NSCLC is tobacco smoke, with other risk factors being:

• Asbestos
• Radon gas
• Diesel exhaust fumes
• Arsenic
• Uranium

Around 10% of lung cancers are small cell lung cancers. These tumors typically grow more quickly than NSCLC tumors and are more likely to metastasize. You can get small cell lung cancer even if you don’t smoke.

What symptoms might lung cancer cause?

Typical lung cancer symptoms include:

• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Unplanned weight loss
• Coughing up blood
• Hoarse voice
• Repeated pneumonia

If you have some or all of these symptoms of lung cancer, a PET (positron emission tomography) or CT (computed tomography) scan can identify the presence of tumors.

What treatments are available for lung cancer?

The treatment Dr. Shah recommends for lung cancer depends on how advanced your disease is, how far it’s spread, and factors like your age and medical history. Surgery to remove the affected part of your lung might be an option, supported by chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

If your tumor is either small enough or too large to remove, you might need chemotherapy and radiation therapy as your primary treatments. Other options available at Advanced Cancer Care of New Jersey, PC, include:

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy focuses on blocking tumor cell production by targeting a specific molecule that helps cancer grow and spread. Patients usually tolerate targeted therapy well and experience few side effects.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy stimulates your body’s immune system, so it’s better able to identify and destroy cancer cells.

If you develop any lung cancer symptoms, act quickly to get the treatment you need. Call Advanced Cancer Care of New Jersey, PC, today or book an appointment online.